Televised Address by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

(24.12.2006)

 

(unofficial translation)

 

Honourable Peoples of Ethiopia,

 

Today, at the first ever Farmers' Festival, heroes are rewarded for their outstanding contribution to our development endeavours. In the week-long festival, model farmers from across the country will share their experiences and take a collective stance to scale up development efforts. This commendable task empirically demonstrates that development, democracy and peace are the desire and wishes of the Ethiopian people. However, away from this national quest for peace and development, our defense force has been forced into a war to defend against provocations and attacks mounted by terrorists and anti-Ethiopian forces, to safeguard peace and national sovereignty. Following provocations by forces sheltered in Somalia, our defense force has today launched counter-attacks on terrorists and destructive forces.

 

It is well known that the House of Peoples' Representatives has instructed the government to take all the necessary legal steps - after exhaustively exploring all peace options - to defend against attacks perpetrated by Mogadishu terrorists and various anti-Ethiopian forces operating under the tutelage of the Eritrean government.

 

The Ethiopian government has continued to explore all options for peace, as it did prior to the decision by Parliament. Thus, it has met with the representative of the terrorist leadership of the United Islamic Courts (UIC) in Djibouti in an effort to convince them to evict anti-Ethiopia forces from areas under their control, to halt sheltering and smuggling these forces into Ethiopia and to renounce the war they declared against Ethiopia.

 

Even at the beginning of the week, endeavours were made to peacefully resolve the situation and affect an understanding with representatives of the group at a secret meeting in Dubai.

 

Ethiopia, in addition to deploying last minute efforts towards the peaceful resolution of the crisis, has full-heartedly embraced attempts for peace by other parties. It has expressed support for and urged the prompt implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution calling for a peaceful solution to the problem. It has been persistent in imploring all relevant bodies to do the same. It has also been fully supportive of the peace efforts made during the last half of the week by EU Commissioner Louis Michel, and it has affirmed its preparedness to cooperate with all concerned for its implementation.

 

The Mogadishu terrorist group and the anti-Ethiopian forces behind it, pushed aside all peace efforts and launched attacks when peace envoys were shuttling between Mogadishu and Baidoa. On Wednesday 20th December 2006, the group mounted an extensive offensive with the objective of vanquishing the Somali Transitional Government and the Puntland Administration and taking control of the whole of Somalia, destabilising our country and the Horn of Africa as a whole.

 

The terrorist group was not prepared to delay the implementation of its objectives to control the whole of Somalia and destabilise Ethiopia, has smuggled rebels into Ethiopia in increasing numbers and with increasing frequency.

Having realised the failure of its peace efforts, as well as the danger further restraint could cause in the face of aggravated attacks, the Ethiopian government issued a last warning on 22nd December 2006.

 

Our patience was taken as weakness and the terrorists escalated their attacks. As a result, it has been necessary for our defense force to take legitimate measures to keep the campaign at bay.

 

Honourable Peoples of Ethiopia,

 

The Ethiopian people and government have no hostility whatsoever towards the people of Somalia.  On the contrary, the Transitional Government of Somalia and its troops, the military of the Puntland Administration and other armed Somalis, including direct victims of terrorist attacks, are fighting shoulder to shoulder with our defense force. I would like to seize the opportunity to express my gratitude on behalf of the Ethiopian people and Government to the Somali citizens and soldiers committed to peace and amicable neighbourly ties between the two countries.

 

The Ethiopian people and government have no hostility whatsoever either towards the people of Somalia or towards the bulk of the members of and sympathisers of the UIC. The Ethiopian people and Government acknowledge the right of these forces to set up Islamic courts to safeguard peace and stability in their areas that would in no way cause harm to Ethiopia.

 

In accordance with the peace initiatives proposed by the UN Security Council, the African Union and EU Commissioner Louis Michel, we have supported all efforts to enable the TFG and the UIC to form a unity government through dialogue and tolerance.

 

We strongly support proposals for peace and will continue to do so.

 

The problem that the Ethiopian peoples have is with the extremist leadership of the UIC, a small bunch of terrorists, bent on destabilising our country and the sub-region by forging alliances with all anti-Ethiopian forces. The Ethiopian defensive measures will target the terrorist group alone. The steps we have been forced to take to defend ourselves will be in accordance with international conventions, will be proportional and will be limited to the attacks committed and the dangers we face.

 

We do not have any intention or desire to interfere in Somali politics beyond support delivered within the framework of the AU. In accordance with our strong belief that it is the right of the Somali people alone to determine the political future of Somalia, our defense force will pull out from Somalia immediately upon the successful completion of its mission. We have no intention of forming a government nor do we have another agenda beyond defending ourselves. Even at this point in time, while we are engaged in defensive measures, we believe the only solution for Somalia’s internal problem is dialogue among Somali political forces and we urge the majority of UIC members to push for the start of the Khartoum peace talks in line with the peace initiative brought to the fore by Commissioner Louis Michel.

 

Honourable Peoples of Ethiopia,

 

At this juncture, while we are working to lift our country from poverty, the Mogadishu terrorist group, emboldened by the support from those with ill will towards Ethiopia, has forced us into a needless war.

 

Despite the unstinted efforts we made to avert war, the attacks on us escalated. Our patience was taken for timidity. We therefore had no choice but to take proportionate measures to quell the looming danger our country has been facing. After we were forced into a war, the only alternative left to us is to bring the war to a successful and victorious end in the shortest time possible

 

I would like to confirm that the Government will provide all the necessary support and leadership to enable our defense force to accomplish its mission.  I am confident that the Ethiopian people will stand with the defense force fighting to safeguard peace and our national sovereignty.

 

For us the most dangerous enemy is poverty, even worse than the Mogadishu terrorists and the anti-Ethiopian forces behind the group. If the terrorist group and its mentors were to succeed in diverting our attention from our task, their anti-Ethiopia objective would succeed.

 

Therefore, we have to carry on with our development endeavours alongside the battle we are waging at the front. Our development endeavours will continue unabated with vigor and heightened efficiency.  The Government will work with the utmost resolve for the realisation of our development objectives.

 

I am confident that all Ethiopians will do likewise and carry on with their successful endeavours. I would like to seize the opportunity to confirm that our struggle for development would continue unhindered as shall be proven in our day-to-day activities while our defense force is at war with anti-peace forces.

 

Thank you.

 

ENDS